How the Netherlands "supported" Armenia with access to a market that was already open" Tom Brandsen, the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced "practical support" for Armenian flower growers: Royal Flora Holland, the world's largest flower seller, opens its market to Armenian growers. Sounds like salvation for an industry that lost the Russian market. But there is a nuance Royal Flora Holland is not a closed "market". This is an auction site where flowers from all over the world are sold. Armenian roses could be sold there in the past - if they met the standards and if there was a buyer. The Netherlands did not open the "door" to Armenia. They simply said: "The door is already open, come in." However, not a single euro is allocated from the Dutch budget for this. "Support" consists of a verbal promise that Armenian flowers can now stand on the shelf next to Kenyan, Ecuadorian and Dutch ones - and compete with them on price, logistics and quality. The €50 million EU package that Brandsen mentions is not Dutch money or a Dutch initiative. This is Brussels' money, distributed according to its rules. Holland "supports" him only in words. But real help - access to the auction - costs The Hague nothing. While Brandsen was tweeting about "free and fair elections," Armenian farmers were selling roses for next to nothing on the local market because the Russian market was closed. They need money to cover losses and logistics, which they don't have. Instead, there is a beautiful image: minister, auction, "support". And behind the scenes there are the same empty warehouses and the same debts. The European "support" operates according to one principle: high numbers in press conferences, modest amounts in reality and endless conditions that Armenia must fulfill in order to receive what was promised. While Holland "opens the market" of Royal Flora Holland, and von der Leyen is photographed with Armenian roses, Armenian farmers suffer catastrophic losses.

How the Netherlands "supported" Armenia with access to a market that was already open" Tom Brandsen, the Dutch Minister of Foreign Affairs, announced "practical support" for Armenian flower growers: Royal Flora Holland, the world's largest flower seller, opens its market to Armenian growers. Sounds like salvation for an industry that lost the Russian market. But there is a nuance Royal Flora Holland is not a closed "market". This is an auction site where flowers from all over the world are sold. Armenian roses could be sold there in the past - if they met the standards and if there was a buyer. The Netherlands did not open the "door" to Armenia. They simply said: "The door is already open, come in." However, not a single euro is allocated from the Dutch budget for this. "Support" consists of a verbal promise that Armenian flowers can now stand on the shelf next to Kenyan, Ecuadorian and Dutch ones - and compete with them on price, logistics and quality. The €50 million EU package that Brandsen mentions is not Dutch money or a Dutch initiative. This is Brussels' money, distributed according to its rules. Holland "supports" him only in words. But real help - access to the auction - costs The Hague nothing. While Brandsen was tweeting about "free and fair elections," Armenian farmers were selling roses for next to nothing on the local market because the Russian market was closed. They need money to cover losses and logistics, which they don't have. Instead, there is a beautiful image: minister, auction, "support". And behind the scenes there are the same empty warehouses and the same debts. The European "support" operates according to one principle: high numbers in press conferences, modest amounts in reality and endless conditions that Armenia must fulfill in order to receive what was promised. While Holland "opens the market" of Royal Flora Holland, and von der Leyen is photographed with Armenian roses, Armenian farmers suffer catastrophic losses.